Backbone cover attachment for books.



J. R. POPE.

BACKBONE COVER ATTACHMENT FORBOOKS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-26, 1914.

1,186,331. PatentedJune 6,1916.

6.11mi TmE- JOHN RUSSELL POPE,

on NEW YORK, 1v. Y.

BACKBONE COVER ATTACHMENT FOR BOOKS.'

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 6, 1916.

Application filed December 26, 1914. Serial No. 879,186.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jor-IN RUSSELL Porn, a citizen of the United States, residing at 20 East Sixty-first street, New York city, New York,have invented a Backbone Cover Attachment for Books.

My invention relates to the cover attachment of the backbone of books and in particular to a cover so constructed that it can be simply, neatly, quickly and permanently adjusted and attached to a bound book. Its object is to cover the backbone of a book where a new or different backbone, for whatever reason, is desired and in particular to provide a means for any one to economically, quickly and easily cover the backbone of a book with a binding in material, design and color according to their liking, and thereby secure in a library or shelf individual or uniform effects of book bindings, effects of handsome bindings on inferior bound books or bound pamphlets, etc., and effects of uniformity, order and neatness in book shelves and libraries. And, in such a book backbone cover to arrange to show title or lettering on the original binding of the book by means of an adjustable opening in the book backbone cover that can be made to show such title or lettering, and at the same time bear a fixed relation to the ornament or design applied to the book backbone. The device is shown in the drawing.

Figure 1 is a view of the backbone cover attachment before it is cut for application to a book; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the attachment; Fig. 3 shows the front side and the backbone of a book which is to have the backbone cover attachment applied; Fig. 4: is a view of the backbone cover attachment, prepared and in readiness is of a length greater than the length of the back bone and also of a width greater than the width of the backbone, so that the lateral edges of the attachment will overlap the front and rear sides ofthe book. The middle portion of the strip of material which will cover the backbone of the book has an as is commonly shown in the backbone stamp of a book, but the upper portion of the design is so made that the strip can be cut open, without destroying the design effect, for the purpose of exposing the title stamp or other lettering on the backbone of the book. The side edges of'the strip of material are folded around thin strips of metal a which run the full length of the cover attachment.

l/Vhen the attachment is to be applied to a book the same is placed against the latter so that the proper position for the title opening in the cover attachment can be located, and longitudinal slits 0 are made, and then a transverse slit is made to permit the material to be folded back on the level of the dotted lines I), Fig. 4:, thus producing an opening which will register with the title of the book. The ends of the cover attachment are slit longitudinally adjacent the edges of the metal strip, and the portions between the slits are folded backwardly on the lines (Z, whereby recesses are formed with lugs 6 ex tending longitudinally from the ends of the attachment. 7

In applying the attachment the backbone of the book is placed against the inner or V K plain surface of the attachment with the title of the book registering with the opening in the attachment. The side marginal portions of the cover attachment are then folded against the outer surfaces of the front and 5' back sides of. the book and the lugs e are bent to engage the inner faces of the said front and sides of the book, as clearly shown in Fig. 6.

It will thus be seen that the attachments can be easily and quickly applied to books, and when applied they improve the appearance, and by using backbone cover attachments of uniform style it is possible to give to variously bound books a uniform appearance, which is desirable Where books are arranged in cases, shelves and the like.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the advantages. of the construction and method of operation will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation, together with the device'which I now consider to be 1 appropriate design or ornamentation, such the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made When desired as fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a removable cover for the back-bone of a book said cover consisting of a strip of pliable material and of a Width to overlie the back bone and the portions of the covers adjacent the back-bone, said strip having an opening to expose the title of the book, and means for securing the strip to the book to cover the back-bone thereof.

A. removable cover for the back-bone of a book, comprising an ornamental strip of such dimension as to extend the full length of the back bone of the book and the full Width thereof, and having a title-exposing opening, and metalpieces secured to the edges of the strip and extending longitudinally the full length thereof, the ends of the metal pieces projecting beyond the strip, whereby the projecting ends can be engaged with the covers of the book.

3. A removable cover for the back-bone of a book, comprising a flexible strip of material of such size as to extend the full length of a book back-bone and of such Width as to extend across the back-bone and overlap por tions of the covers of the book, said strip having longitudinally extending lugs or flaps at its corners and a relatively small opening for exposing the title of the book.

JOHN RUSSELL POPE.

Witnesses M. M. QUILTY, D. P. HIooiNs.

flopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents eaeh, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0." 

